Scenes from a Divorce (Rivalry between Bo Dog and M1 heats up in Russia)

Most interesting part of this article is the last couple of paragraphs, quoted here:

Semenov's decision made such waves that even his former tutor Fedor Emelianenko (Pictures) interfered. When Fedor heard the news, he immediately called Finkelchtein, Red Devil's owner. Later Fedor was quoted in an interview as saying, "Listen, nothing will come of [Semenov]. I have no desire to work with someone who lets people down like that."

Finkelchtein is unlikely to watch without doing anything. The consequences could involve M-1 signing native Russian talent to exclusive contracts or making it difficult for Bodog to run shows in St. Petersburg.

What I found interesting was that M-1 has billed themselves as this great organization based on sharing its best fighters. Allowing them to compete elsewhere for the good of MMA, but at the first sign of competition in their backyard they may be looking at locking down their fighters just like the "evil" UFC.

cmill21

2/12/08 8:34:50AM

A promotion is a promotion lol.

dstlvb

2/12/08 9:13:57AM

Its a little deeper than M-1 simply trying to get Bogdog out of russia. They feel they have been cheated. Even if they sign their talent to exclusive contracts they can still fight abroad. Sounds like they just dont want them fighting for Bogdog, espicialy since it seems like Bogdog is trying to disrupt M-1 american card by getting those fighters, and using the same name of the show.

jomatty

2/12/08 9:14:59AM

you guys shouldnt get too worked up about this. the author suggested that finkelshtein wouldnt stand idly by and may try to lock fighters into exlcusive deals. m-1 has made no such statements. until they do im not gonna worry because i dont think it will happen. they need the ability to copromote shows (mma also needs the ability for the smaller orgs to copromote if we want exciting cards). i also doubt they are ready to throw the sort of money at guys that would be necessary to lock em in to exclusive contracts.

anyhow, keep in mind that was author speculation not from the horses mouth.

Wolf

2/12/08 10:01:12AM

Posted by jomatty

you guys shouldnt get too worked up about this. the author suggested that finkelshtein wouldnt stand idly by and may try to lock fighters into exlcusive deals. m-1 has made no such statements. until they do im not gonna worry because i dont think it will happen. they need the ability to copromote shows (mma also needs the ability for the smaller orgs to copromote if we want exciting cards). i also doubt they are ready to throw the sort of money at guys that would be necessary to lock em in to exclusive contracts.

anyhow, keep in mind that was author speculation not from the horses mouth.

agreed, For any other promotion to be able to lock a fighter into an exclusive, they're going to have to come up with enough money to counteract the fact that a UFC exclusive is going to get you a ton more exposure.

Darnok

2/12/08 10:53:55AM

I don't understand why Fedor is so mad. Isn't this the same thing they are trying to talk Randy into doing. Leaving one org for another.

jomatty

2/12/08 12:29:14PM

there is a big difference between just fighting for another organization and fighting for another organization after your organization is already planning on you fighting on a specific card but instead fighting in the same time span for the competitor and not being able to fight for the fight that you had agreed too (although there was no contract so legally he is in the right). randy had a contract but had not committed to any specific fight. im not saying either fighter or organization is right or wrong just that the situations are very different.

Darnok

2/13/08 11:30:44AM

You are right they are completly different. Randy is breaking a signed legal document and was offered a fight. The other guy just changed his mind, he didn't break a contract or anything. And M-1 is all about sharing thier fighters anyway.